DUMONT — The caller ID said it was the Municipal Court calling. But an on-the-ball resident realized she was being targeted by a scam when she was asked for her credit card number, police said.

Around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, a resident received a phone call from 201-387-5033 — Dumont Municipal Court — that was an automated message asking her to update credit card information, said Police Detective Sgt. Michael Foti. It was actually a scam that used "spoofing" technology to display the number.

The resident hung up before giving away any personal information, Foti said.

Spoofing occurs when a caller deliberately falsifies the information that is sent to a caller ID device to disguise their identity, usually in an attempt to trick people into giving away personal information, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Often, elderly people are more susceptible to these scams, Foti said.

Spoofing is not illegal if no harm is intended or caused, according to FCC rules. However, if a person is trying to mislead someone with the intent to defraud or cause harm, they can face penalties up to $10,000 for each violation.

Borough employees would never call a resident for credit card information, Foti said. If someone calls about a payment, Foti encourages residents to hang up and call the toll-free number on their credit card bill instead.